How Maine’s members of Congress voted

WASHINGTON — Along with roll call votes last week, the House also passed the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act (H.R. 1174), to provide a lactation room in public buildings; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Transition Authorization Act (S. 442), to authorize NASA’s programs.

HOUSE VOTES

MILITARY SPENDING: The House passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R. 1301), sponsored by Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, R-N.J. The bill would provide $578 billion of fiscal 2017 funding for the Defense Department’s military operations, including $62 billion for overseas wars and anti-terrorism activities. Frelinghuysen said its funding will allow upgrades for badly needed readiness, technology, and surveillance programs, reversing years of cutbacks and increasing personnel levels. An opponent, Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., criticized the bill for failing to fulfill Congress’s responsibility to oversee war activities in Syria and Iraq. The vote, on March 8, was 371 yeas to 48 nays.

CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS: The House passed the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act (H.R. 985), sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. The bill would change procedures for class action lawsuits in federal court by setting criteria for determining who can join the lawsuits and limiting payments to lawyers representing the plaintiffs. Goodlatte said the changes would maximize compensation for the actual injured parties in class action suits. An opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said the changes were intended “to make it virtually impossible for class action lawsuits to be brought by groups of citizens who share a common injury.” The vote, on March 9, was 220 yeas to 201 nays.

NAY: Pingree

YEA: Poliquin

VENUES FOR LAWSUITS: The House passed the Innocent Party Protection Act (H.R. 725), sponsored by Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo. The bill would direct federal courts to adopt procedures for finding cases when a lawsuit has been fraudulently moved to a given state court by improperly adding new plaintiffs who have minimal connection to the subject of the lawsuit. A supporter, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said the practice, known as fraudulent joinder, puts a tremendous burden on small businesses who are added to lawsuits and must spend time and money defending themselves. An opponent, Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., said the bill overrode principles of federalism and state authority over civil litigation, and would make it much harder for plaintiffs to pursue claims against wrongdoing companies in state courts. The vote, on March 9, was 224 yeas to 194 nays.

NAY: Pingree

YEA: Poliquin

SENATE VOTES

LABOR RULE FOR CONTRACTORS: The Senate passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 37), sponsored by Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., stating disapproval of a NASA, Defense Department, and General Services Administration rule requiring contractors to the federal government to report various violations and alleged violations of labor laws, with data on the violations used to determine whether a contractor is eligible to win future contracts. A supporter, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said the disclosure rule carried “the very real potential of subjecting perfectly innocent contractors to blackmail and extortion tactics during union contract negotiations.” An opponent, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said the rule was only attempting to ensure that contractors “follow the law and provide a safe and equitable workplace” by treating workers fairly. The vote, on March 6, was 49 yeas to 48 nays.

YEA: Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine

NAY: Sen. Angus King. I-Maine

RULE FOR USE OF BLM LANDS: The House passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 44), sponsored by Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., stating disapproval of an Interior Department rule regarding plans to use land under the Bureau of Land Management’s control. A supporter, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said maintaining the rule, known as BLM Planning 2.0, would reduce transparency and public involvement in planning for how to use federal lands, degrading the ability to adopt sensible plans that take local concerns into account. An opponent, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said the rule “has guaranteed public access, transparency, and sunshine in planning for our public lands.” The vote, on March 7, was 51 yeas to 48 nays.

YEA: Collins

NAY: King

OVERSIGHT OF TEACHER PREPARATION: The House passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 58), sponsored by Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., stating disapproval of an Education Department rule that tied agency grants to evaluations of the adequacy of a state’s teacher preparation program. A supporter, Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., said the rule’s bid to have federal bureaucrats micromanage teacher training programs across the country was absurd. An opponent, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said keeping the rule would help states improve schools’ teaching preparation programs and give students important information about teacher preparation programs at the schools they plan to attend. The vote, on March 7, was 59 yeas to 40 nays.

YEAS: Collins, King

OVERSIGHT OF EDUCATION PLANS: The Senate passed a resolution (H.J. Res. 57), sponsored by Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., disapproving of an Education Department rule setting out accountability requirements for state education plans. A supporter, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said the rule violated federal law by exceeding Education’s statutory authority to interfere in state and local education policy. An opponent, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said the rule sought to fulfill civil rights promises by supporting equitable education opportunities for all. The vote, on March 9, was 50 yeas to 49 nays.

YEA: Collins

NAY: King

RUNNING MEDICARE AND MEDICAID: The Senate approved a cloture motion to end debate on the nomination of Seema Verma to serve as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the Health and Human Services Department. A supporter, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Verma had a track record of success in reforming health care agencies, and predicted that her “experience in reforming and modernizing state-level Medicaid programs will help lower the staggering costs” for states resulting from the health care reform law, aka Obamacare. An opponent, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said Verma backed measures “that penalize and create roadblocks to coverage for low-income Americans,” denying them access to adequate health care. The vote to end debate, on March 9, was 54 yeas to 44 nays.

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